String centering device for deep well platforms



April 10, 1956 D. B. M KINNEY 2,741,459

STRING CENTERING DEVICE FOR DEEP WELL PLATFORMS Filed Feb. 18, 1953 2,741,459 Patented Apr. .10, 1956 STRING CENTERENG DEVICE FOR DEEP WELL PLATFORMS Dwayne B. McKinney, Bree, Califi, assignor to Shatter Tool Works, Brea, Calif., a corporation of California Application February 18, 1953, Serial No. 337,563

2 Claims. (Cl. 25523) This iru'ention is an adapter for use on platform structures of deep well rigs; more particularly for application to rotary tables of such structures.

in well drilling and well operating practices a frequent task is the l wering, by an elevator, of sections of various equipment strings. These sections come in various diameters and it is very desirable that each section have its lower end carefully centered as it passes down through a platform hole provided for entry of the string sections. And it is especially desirable that a device of simple character be provided which may be accommodated to the several sizes of the string sections.

Further, it is important that such an adapter be rugged; handily portable by one operative in transportation about the Well rig; of reasonable cost; capable of being quickly set in place for incidental use in well operations and as easily removed after use; and compactly storable in the well tool house.

Also, it is an aim to provide a differential size string adapter of but few and very simple parts none of which requires labor taking time or any mechanical hook-up in the well rig.

Additionally, a purpose is to provide an adapter embodying a plate-like basal rest for application directly onto the bed of the platform of the rig or onto the top of a rotary table mounted in the rig, as the structure may require, and to provide a set of adapter collars any of which is individually nestable on the said rest and each of which is ditferentiated from the others by a central, string-section receiving hole for a given diameter of such a section. And to provide an adapter in which the said rest and any individual collar require no mechanical connection other than a provision effecting the safe, reliable, simple and instant nesting, or removal of one from the other.

The invention is characterized by certain advancements in the deep well industry as set forth in the ensuing disclosure and has with the above, additional objects and advantages as hereinafter developed, and Whose construction, combinations and detail of means and manner of operation will be made manifest in the following description of t e herewith illustrative embodiment; it being understood that modifications, variations, adaptations and equivalents may be resorted to within the scope, spirit and principles of the invention as it is claimed in conclusion hereof.

Figure l is a perspective view of a table equipment on which the adapter is installed and ready for receiving and centering a given well string (pipe) section. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the isolated basal rest for a collar. Figure 3 is a perspective view of an isolated collar (being one of a set).

The instant adaptation shows a well rig platform 2 on which there is a rotary table 3; a structure well known in the art. The table has a large central hole into and from which various tools and well apparatus are disposable and operated; pipe, or easing, or tool string sections, for example which are operationally suspended by over- 2 head elevatorsL-Heretoforc the lower end of such a section being lowered into the table hole has been manually oriented toward the center of the hol'eslowly and dangerously.

To facilitate such a centering job the table here is provided with a type of split, casing or pipe bushing-like device illustrated as including a pair of flat, substantial,

rectangle plate elements 5--5 together forming a square basal rest readily plantable in a corresponding depression 6 in the top of the table for safe and stable arrangement for dependability in use.

Each plate element has in one side edge a semicircular recess 5r and when these edges are placed side to side there is thus formed a coaxial hole at the center of the table. This single basal rest provides a stationary support for one or another of a set of'scctional collars (only one being shown) each consisting of a pair of duplicate half-ring segments 8-8 whose outer diameter is such as to slightly overlap the edge of the rest hole formed by the plates 55 and the rim of the segments being corner rebated at 3; to fit the bore face of the hole in the plates so that the bushing-forming ring or collar is lodged solidly against side shift. Each collar is characterized by a bore of a size to loosely fit the inserted, lower end of a string section S, Fig. 1 so that the string end is easily received and coaxially centered, by the adapter, in the center hole of the table and expedites making up of joint to a complementary equipment as may be supported in the collar under the platform.

The sectional plate elements are provided with suitably sized peep holes 5;; and are provided with suitable handles 5h for ready mounting and removal, whether there is a string section S in place or not. Also, the plate elements are chained at 9 one to the other for safety of the unit. And for the same reason the collar segments are interchained at 19.

What is claimed is:

l. A string centering device for deep well platforms adapted to receive, guide in, and center pipe string sections at the well head, the combination of a rotary table having an axial opening therethrough and a shallow recess in the top extending outwardly of said opening, said recess being of generally square shape; a flat generally square rest removably disposed in said recess, said rest comprising a pair of complementary members having adjacent abutting edges, each of said abutting edges having a semi-circular notch, said notches defining a hole through said rest aligned with the opening in said table when said members have said edges in abutting relationship and are disposed Within said recess, the outer corners of said members having small peep holes therein; and a collar comprising a pair of duplicate semi-circular segments each having 21 depending arcuate portion slidahly received in the hole of the rest and having an outwardly extending flange portion resting on the upper face of said rest, said segments defining an opening for reception of pipe string sections when said segments are disposed in the hole in said rest.

2. In a pipe centering device for well platforms: a rotary table having an axial opening therethrough and a shallow polygonal recess in the top extending outwardly of said opening; a flat rest, of substantially the same shape as said recess and removably diposed therein, said rest comprising a pair of complementary members having adjacent abutting edges, each of said edges having a semicircular notch thereiu, said notches defining a hole through said rest aligned with the opening in said table when said members have said edges in abutting relationship and are disposed within said recess; and a collar comprising a pair of arcuate segments each having a depending portion slidably received in the hole of the rest and having an outwardly extending flange portion resting on the upper hole in said rest.

References Cited in the fi1e of this patent V UNITED STATES PATENTS Edelen Nov. 4, .1879

Burton Oct. 20, 1925 Tilbury -5. Mar. 16, 1937 Stone et a1. Aug. 16, 1938 Pothe July 16, 1940 

